Early Christmas gift? House approves budget bill with ease

WASHINGTON (AP)

A budget agreement between key Republicans and Democrats. Even President Barack Obama was on board. All without anyone threatening to repeal this or shut down that.

Gridlock, however briefly, took an early holiday in the bitterly polarized, Republican-run House.

But across the Capitol, the high-minded Senate remained in the grip of some of the worst partisan warfare in its history after majority Democrats curbed the Republicans' power. A round-the-clock talkathon is the result, putting no one in the mood for cooperation. Majority Leader Harry Reid threatened to shorten the Senate's cherished Christmas vacation if need be.

A Republican called his bluff. "What's new about that? What's even threatening about that?" challenged Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb.

Traditionally effective prods to action are often less so in the divided, crisis-managed Congress. Lawmakers have lurched from sequester to shutdown over spending, national health care and more in the three years since Republicans won control of the House with a sizable group of newcomers reluctant to compromise. Their approach proved costly - to the nation's credit rating, to Congress' standing among voters and to the GOP, which took the brunt of public blame for the partial government shutdown in October.

The scene has been no better in the Senate. What remained of that chamber's deliberative nature blew apart last month when majority Democrats, citing GOP obstructionism, curtailed the Republicans' power to block some presidential nominees.

Republicans have tried this week to do what they can to protest, but Reid's slate of 11 nominations didn't appear in peril. Early Thursday morning, the Senate approved the first of those, voting 51-44 to confirm Cornelia "Nina" Pillard to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

President Barack Obama praised the confirmation of Pillard, the second judge seated on the D.C. Circuit this week, noting that Pillard would give the court five active female judges for the first time.

"Throughout her career, Ms. Pillard has displayed an unwavering commitment to justice and integrity," Obama said.

Democrats continued their promised march of confirmation votes on Thursday, approving Chai Rachel Feldblum for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Elizabeth A. Wolford to be a judge for the Western District of New York and Landya B. McCafferty for a judgeship in the U.S. District of New Hampshire.

Also approved were Patricia M. Wald to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and Brian Morris and Susan Watters to be judges for the U.S. District of Montana.

Amid the marathon of confirmation votes, Republicans used another tool to poke Democrats and slow nominations by invoking a rule that can stop Senate committees from meeting if they start more than two hours after the chamber convenes each day. Republicans scuttled three scheduled meetings on nominations - two of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and one of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Still, with the 2014 midterm election year fast approaching, there was something unexpected this week: Instead of the standoffs, demands and disrespect that have become routine, key Republicans and Democrats announced a budget deal.

Then they did something even more remarkable: They pushed the measure with uncharacteristic ease through the House, where open warfare between the two parties is the usual standard. The vote was 332-94, which now moves to the Senate.